Weakness
by Fictionista 48
Summary: Everyone has a weakness, even the seemingly invincible. Sometimes it's just a matter of discovering what that weakness is. Kensi and Deeks discover theirs.
1. Chapter 1

**Just a little one or two chapter thing for my own amusement, and hopefully yours, as well. I suppose it could turn into more if anyone sees potential, and wants to read on. Reviews are lovely and so very much appreciated. Enjoy! **

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><p>She lets him in as she downs a handful of Advil, chased with strong coffee. He quirks an eyebrow at her as he obviously spots the remnants of her breakfast – a large, frosted brownie – on the counter next to the coffeemaker and the Advil bottle.<p>

"You, uh, feeling all right?" he asks, leaning against the counter.

"Yeah, fine. I'll be ready in a minute. Let me just run to the bathroom before we leave."

"We've got time. You hear from Hetty?"

"Yeah, just before you got here. You know where this place is?" she calls from the bathroom, as she stuffs her purse with tampons, referring to the house they've been instructed to investigate.

"Yep, no problem. But I doubt we'll find anything. Seems like a run of the mill mugging gone bad, to me."

She walks back out. "I agree. But we have to check."

"Gives us an excuse to take the Coast Road, too," he says, smiling, as he looks at her pleadingly.

"No! No way. I am not doing that again. No surfing on the clock."

"We don't punch a clock."

She glares at him. "You know what I mean. No."

He shrugs. "It was worth a try. But it will be a nice drive."

"Yeah." She's not excited about the prospect of sitting in a car for the next hour or more with her back aching like it is, and the vicious cramps contributing to it.

"You okay?"

"Fine. Let's go."

She says _to hell with it_, and lets him drive her car. She's just too tired to argue, and if she's lucky, he'll be quiet and she can sleep on the drive. As much as she likes the scenic view from the Coast Road, she'd like more sleep even better.

He keeps glancing at her from across the console. It's making her uncomfortable. Well, _more_ uncomfortable.

"Advil working yet?"

"What?"

"Cramps better?"

She feels her color rise, and attempts to fight it back. "Why would you assume I have cramps? Maybe I slept wrong."

He smiles that goofy smile, and laughs a bit. "Kens, you just took a _handful_ of ibuprofen, and had brownies for breakfast. You look exhausted. You're letting me drive. I get it."

"I'm not discussing this with you."

He shrugs. "Whatever. Mind if I make a quick stop?"

"Whatever."

He steers into the lot of a convenience store and parks near the door. "Need anything?"

"I'm good."

"Be right back, then." He hops out and disappears inside the little store.

She watches him go, feeling the heat of embarrassment creep up her neck and flush her cheeks. She hates him sometimes. No one should be able to read her that easily. And yet, he does. Every damn time. It's infuriating.

He's back within five minutes, sliding into the driver's seat, laying a plastic bag in his lap. He smiles at her and fastens his seatbelt, then digs in the bag and hands her a small bottle of Advil.

"What's this?"

"You left yours on the counter at home. I thought you might need more later."

She wants to murder him. Or crawl under the dash and hide. But damn it, he's right. She totally forgot to refill the bottle in her purse.

She smiles a little. "Thanks."

He shrugs. "Here," he says, tossing a bag of Dove Dark chocolates into her lap.

She sits, stunned, and chews her lip. He knows her so well. Again, it's infuriating. And sort of endearing. "Damn it, Deeks…"

He backs out and hits the road. "You know you want them, Kens. Or will."

She swallows the embarrassment and thanks him.

"I don't know what the big deal is. I mean, why do girls get so freaked out when we know you're on…"

She raises her hand to shut him up. "Deeks…"

"Seriously, Kens. I don't get it. It is what it is. Why be so uptight about it? It has to suck, though. You look miserable every time it happens."

She's mortified. "You _always_ know when it happens?"

He smiles. "You have a few tells, Kens. Advil and chocolate. Usually, you're tough as nails, nothing hurts, nothing requires drugs. But that few days…"

"Okay. Great. Glad you get a kick out of this."

"I don't. That's the point. I'm trying to make it easier on you, Partner. We guys have nothing to compare it to, so I'm winging it here, but I'm trying."

She smiles apologetically. "Thanks."

He smiles back.

"Can we shut up now?"

They drive to the house of the slain Marine, and as Deeks had said, the drive is beautiful. And of course, he can't shut up, so sleep is out. They pull up to a nice home in a quaint, older neighborhood, and start their work. Since he wasn't killed here, it's not a crime scene, and, as they expected, they turn up nothing.

"I knew it. Nada."

"Maybe there's something in the garage," Kensi suggests, mainly because she's learned that he's a car buff, and has two classics stored there; one, a work in progress.

Deeks shrugs and follows her through the kitchen to the back door. Out back stands a large garage, one that would easily accommodate three cars. Kensi feels her eyes light up. "This would be nice."

Deeks looks around. "Pretty yard. Guy ever have a wife?"

"No, why?"

"Flowers. Lots and lots of flowers. Check it out, they're everywhere. He's even got a rose garden over there."

"Focus, Deeks. The garage."

"Yeah, 'cause we're going to find something in there."

She glares at him and opens the door.

"Come on. You're a girl. You have to like flowers."

"Flowers, yes. Bees, no. Now concentrate," she says offhandedly, entering the large building.

"What exactly are we looking for in here?"

"We'll know when we see it. Wow, look at this car." She runs her hand reverently along the hood of a pristine Shelby Mustang. "Nice. A sixty-seven. Mint. This is worth a fortune."

"Just like in that Cage movie."

She smiles. "Yeah, exactly. Eleanor."

"Well, I don't think Eleanor, here, is going to help us much. And nothing looks out of place. He keeps this place immaculate."

"I would too, if it were mine," she says wistfully.

They search the garage, with Kensi throwing lustful glances at the classic Nova and the '67 Mustang. Deeks laughs at her, teasing her about being a guy in a former life. "No wonder you can't handle the cramps."

"Ha, ha. Shut up, Deeks." She reluctantly leaves the garage and holds the door open for him.

He walks past her and moves across the yard to the elaborate rose garden, and she watches him lean over and inhale the scent of a light purple rose.  
>"Kensi, you have to smell this. It's so strong."<p>

"No thanks. And I'm pretty sure you were a girl in a past life."

"What is it with you and roses? Bad experience? Stalker boyfriend send you dozens and dozens?"

"I told you, it's not the roses, it's the bees."

"You can't possibly tell me that Kensi Blye is afraid of tiny little bees."

"I'm not afraid of them. I respect them. A lot. Now, let's go."

Just as she turns to walk back toward the house, Deeks yelps, and she whirls around in time to see him swat at his neck. "What happened?"

"Something stung me."

She shakes her head. "Of course it did. I tried to tell you."

"Damn, that hurts. Shit!"

"Was it a bee?" she asks, walking quickly toward him, looking suspiciously around for more.

"I don't know. I guess so."

"Let me see it. Move your hand," she says, examining his neck, a few inches below his right ear. "Yep, it was a bee. The stinger's still in you. You aren't allergic, are you?"

His eyes become huge. "What do you mean the stinger's still in me?"

"Hold still, Deeks, damn it. I have to get it out. Are you allergic?" she repeats, pulling her federal ID from its place beside her badge.

"I don't think so. I've never been stung."

"You've never been stung by a bee? _Ever_?"

"No, why? How many times have you been stung?" he asks, wincing at the pain as she scrapes the ID across the stinger to remove it. "Ow! And what the hell are you doing to me?"

"Enough. I've been stung enough. And you can't just grab the stinger; it'll inject more venom. You have to use a card to scrape it out."

"This really hurts."

She doesn't make the usual joke about how delicate he is. Instead, she pulls back and looks at him, holding his biceps. "Do you feel okay?"

"My lips are tingling."

"Are you being serious right now? This isn't the time for jokes, Deeks. If you ask me to kiss them…"

"Yeah, Kensi, I'm serious. My whole face is tingly. And I feel funny," he says, somewhat breathlessly.

"Oh, shit." Her heart accelerates. "Funny how?"

"Lightheaded. Tingly. Do you think I'm just freaked out because I got stung?" he asks, breathing slightly harder, his eyes wide.

"Deeks, you were shot twice, at point blank range. I don't think a bee sting is going to make you pass out from stress. You might be having a reaction."

"I feel really funny. Not good funny, either. Bad funny," he pants. "I need to sit down."

Kensi grabs his arm just as he goes down hard on his knees, then falls back. "Oh, God, Deeks? Shit. Stay with me. What are you feeling? Can you breathe okay?"

"Not so much, no. My heart's beating really hard."

"Hang on, I'll be right back."

"No! No, Kensi, don't go anywhere. This is really freaking me out right now," he pleads, fear in his wide blue eyes. Sweat beads his forehead, and he's shaking.

"Deeks, listen to me. I have to go to the car. Take even, steady breaths, okay. I'll be back in thirty seconds. Count them for me, okay?"

He shakes his head, "Kens, no."

"I'll be back, Partner. Swear to God." She gets up and races to the SRX out front, dialing 911 as she runs. She flings open the door and retrieves her purse, all the while telling the dispatcher where they are and what's going on. As she gets back to Deeks, she sees him struggling to sit up. "Lay down, Deeks," she says, pushing him down. "Here, you have to take this. Can you swallow?"

He nods, terror in his eyes. "Think so."

She breaks open two plastic vials of liquid Benadryl and empties them into his mouth. "Swallow that. It'll help. An ambulance is on the way. Just hang in there, okay?"

"Kens…" he rasps out, grabbing her arm desperately. "I can't breathe."

She stares down at him, at his wild, terrified blue eyes, and remembers exactly what this feels like. What it feels like to shake and sweat and feel her throat close. How terrifying it all is. How helpless and out of control it feels. How she could almost feel the tendrils of Death wrapping around her.

"Hang on, Deeks," she says, digging in her purse. She pulls out an EpiPen and reaches for his leg. "I have to stick you." She presses the pen against his denim-covered thigh and hears the pen discharge, and Deeks whimper at the stick. He's clutching at his throat, at her, at his chest. "Deeks, calm down, okay? Help is coming. That shot should help, just give it a second." _Please, God, let it help. Where's the damn ambulance?_ She strokes his face reassuringly, then his hair, doing her best to look calm and confident. She feels neither.

He shakes his head wildly. "Not…helping…"

"Hang on, please." She looks around, straining to hear sirens. She digs out her second and last EpiPen, and quickly injects it into his other thigh, praying she doesn't kill him. "Try to relax, Deeks. Help is coming, I swear." She feels panic – something she's totally unaccustomed to – begin to tug at her from within. She looks back down at her partner. He looks so terrified, so helpless. And he'll die within minutes, without help. _Damn it, where are they?_ Then, the sweetest sound she's ever heard. He gasps. The epinephrine takes affect, and he gasps, sucking in a strangled breath. She grabs his hand, smiling with relief.

"Kens…"

"Shh. Don't talk. Don't move. Just lie there." She wants to collapse beside him. She wants to sob. He's breathing. Just barely, but breathing.

How long until the EpiPens wear off, she cannot guess, and she prays the ambulance shows up soon, before they have the chance. Then she hears it, and it's the second most wonderful sound she's heard today. It pulls up outside, and soon two EMTs are at their side, pushing her away from him.

"I gave him liquid Benadryl and hit him with two EpiPens. He wasn't responding to the first one."

"Good work. He's not out of the woods, but your quick thinking saved him," says the younger EMT, as he starts an IV. "This was a really severe reaction. Good thing he had his kit with him."

"He didn't know he's allergic. He's never been stung. The kit was mine," she says softly.

"You'd better get to the doctor and have it refilled. If you're carrying more than one EpiPen, you must have a pretty significant allergy, yourself."

She nods, but says nothing. Deeks stares over at her, looking less panicked than a few minutes ago, but only marginally. The first reaction isn't easy to get over, she knows, and he's probably still scared out of his mind. Once the IV is in and running, and an oxygen mask is in place, she takes his hand again. He's still shaking, and sweat soaks his forehead.

"It's going to be okay," she murmurs to him, stroking back his damp hair. "You're going to be fine now."

He opens his mouth inside the mask, but she shuts him down. "Not a word. Just breathe," she says firmly.

She's once again moved out of the way, as the EMTs lift Deeks onto a stretcher. She takes out her phone and dials Callen, explaining their situation. She asks him if he and Sam can come get her Cadillac, since she'll be riding in the ambulance. They agree, and tell her they'll leave immediately and to just lock up the car and leave the keys on the back porch of the house.

"We're ready," says the older EMT.

Deeks reaches for her, panic in his eyes. "Kens…"

"Shh. I'm riding with you, it's okay." She lobs her keys into the corner of the patio, and takes his hand as they wheel him out. "I'm right here, Partner, and I'm not going anywhere."


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for the reviews, alerts, favorite stories, etc. They means a lot. I appreciate them very much. Not sure if this is it, or if it's going somewhere else. Like I said before, it's a bit of fluffy entertainment for me, and I'm just winging it here. Let me know what you think! And no, this isn't distracting me from Human Sacrifice...just a short break from the pain and angst. Enjoy!**

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><p>Although they arrived at the E.R. before noon, Deeks isn't released until that evening. With all the activity upon arrival, and the subsequent attention from nurses and the on-call doctor, Kensi hasn't had time to talk to him for more than a few minutes. He's uncharacteristically quiet on the drive home, which is nearly an hour from the hospital to his apartment. He dozes against the window, clearly exhausted from his run-in with the bee.<p>

She parks and just looks at him for a moment, then strokes his arm, and gently nudges him awake.

He looks around like he isn't sure where he is. "We're here?"

"Yep, finally. You okay?"

"Yeah. Tired, though. What a day." He stretches and gets out and leads her into his apartment, where he collapses onto the couch. "There's bottled water in the fridge if you need more Advil," he says.

"I'm good, actually. Do you need anything?"

He shakes his head and smiles a little. "A shower, but I doubt you want to help me with that."

She rolls her eyes. "Not your day, my friend."

"That's the truth."

"Scary stuff, huh?" she says, sitting down beside him.

"Yeah. To say the least." He turns to her. "You never told me you're allergic to bees."

"It never came up."

"It came up today."

She shrugs. "I'm allergic to bees."

"Thanks. Good to know next time I get stung. Freaking flowers. Now I see why you stay away from the damned things."

"Yep. Flowers equal bees."

"Great. So much for that bullshit about stopping to smell the roses, huh?"

"Not a good idea after all."

"Thank God you had those pen thingies with you."

She smiles. "Now _you_ get to carry them with you everywhere you go, too."

"Yay," he deadpans.

She elbows him playfully. "One more thing we have in common."

"I'll gladly share my love of comic books and donuts. This, you can have all to yourself."

"Sucks, doesn't it?"

"Has that ever happened to you? A reaction like that?" he asks, absently rubbing the welt on his neck.

"Yeah," she says softly. "Um…a few times."

"Holy shit, Kensi. A _few_ times? When?"

She thinks back to being eight years old, at a friend's house a few blocks from home. Sitting in the grass, she had put her hand down on a dandelion that, unbeknownst to her, held a honeybee. She remembers the feel of the sting in her palm, and the instant panic at knowing she was not at home where her meds were, not anywhere near her father, who knew exactly what to do. She remembers the dizziness, the sweat breaking out, the pounding of her heart. She remembers the feeling of her throat swelling shut, and without realizing it, she gasps.

"Kens?" Deeks says, reaching for her hand.

Embarrassment sweeps through her. "Um…what?"

"You okay?" He looks incredibly worried.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just…bee stings suck. Especially when you're a little kid."

"Wow, this happened to you when you were a kid?"

"Yeah, a couple times. If you think it's scary as an adult, try being eight years old and having no meds and no parent with you."

"Damn. I can't imagine."

"Yeah."

"Has it happened since you've grown up?"

"Once."

"Wow, who'd have thought it?" He smiles. "Your personal kryptonite. The unbreakable Kensi Blye has a weakness."

She smiles back. "So do you."

He stares deep into her eyes and speaks softly. "I have more than one."

She has no idea what to say to that. None. But it nearly stops her heart.

She vaguely realizes he's still holding her hand, and she wonders if she should pull it away. He just gazes at her with those beautiful, tired blue eyes. She's sure that if she says she doesn't want to talk, he'll be happy to go with that for a change. She looks at her watch.  
>He smiles. "Got a hot date, princess?"<p>

"I need a shower. I should go."

"I have a shower," he says, just looking at her.

She waits for the punch line, for that innuendo-covered spear he's going to chuck at her, but it never comes.

"Stay. Please?"

He looks worn out, like a little boy who's played too hard, gotten hurt, and is ready to just lie here and recover with someone who cares. She can't say no. Instead, she nods, and allows him to twine his fingers into hers, and look at her.

"Thanks, Kens."

"I'm sure you'll be fine, but you probably shouldn't be left alone, just in case."

"I mean for today."

She swallows hard, and changes the subject. "So, about that shower…"

"That an invitation?" He smiles, proving he's just fine, and she slugs him. "Ow! Not nice. I nearly died today."

"Keep it up. You still could."

He laughs. "Bathroom's that way. Clean towels are in the closet just beside it. If you don't have clothes in the car, I can get you something of mine. It'll probably fall off of you, but that could work, too," he says, eyes sparkling.

She shakes her head. "Don't make me hurt you, Deeks. And I don't have anything in the car. I thought I'd be going home after work."

He laughs. "So much for planning for any contingency."

"Hey, I saved _your_ ass, didn't I?"

He squeezes her hand and gazes at her intently. "Yeah. Yeah, you did."

He's looking at her with that all-too-serious look again, and she can't take it. She stands abruptly and heads for he bathroom. "What am I supposed to wear?"

He comes to her side in the hallway and roots through a basket of clean laundry until he finds a tee shirt and sweats. "You'll have to cinch the hell out of the drawstring on these things, but they should work."

"Thanks."

Alone in the shower, Kensi goes over the day. What started out as normal, had become anything but. She nearly lost her partner today. Again. And unlike the last time, when he was shot, she was right there with him, watching him gasp for breath, terrified. As bad as it had been to watch helplessly as Dom had bled out on that rooftop a building away, and as bad as it had been to hear Hetty give the news the morning of Deeks's shooting, this was worse. For a few dark moments, Kensi thought she would watch her partner die in front of her, fighting for breath, desperately grasping her hand.

She finishes her shower, fighting the thoughts and emotions away. _He's safe. He's fine. It's over_.

She walks out into the living room, wearing his Billabong tee shirt and sweats. They are huge on her, and threatening to fall off, and she holds onto the waist as she moves to the couch to sit down. He's laying there, eyes closed. For a moment she thinks he's asleep.

"Hey, sunshine. Feel better?"

"Yeah. How about you?"

"Got a headache. Is that normal? I mean, does that happen with this?"

"Yeah, sometimes. Need some Advil? Or food? We haven't eaten all day."

He sits up, giving her room. "Yes, to both. Want to order in? There's a great Chinese place that delivers."

"Sure."

"Thank God it's Friday. I'm not going to want to get up in the morning."

"Sure you will. You'll be up before the sun, heading to Starbucks on your way to the beach to surf," she says, and realizes that she knows him pretty well, too. Better than she ever intended. It does something to her inside, and she feels her breath catch and her throat constrict.

"Kens?"

She tries to blink back the unexpected moisture. "I need to go to the bathroom."

He catches her hand. "No, you don't. What's wrong?" He looks so concerned, so worried. It doesn't help one bit.

She shakes her head. "Nothing. I don't know."

"Um…pesky female hormones?" he tries to joke.

"Yeah. That must be it."

"Or…maybe it's been one hell of a day, and it's catching up to you."

"Or that. How in the hell, in thirty-three years, have you never been stung by a bee?"

"I have no idea. But I'm glad you were with me when it happened." He reaches to tuck a loose strand of damp hair behind her ear, and gazes at her. His voice is soft. "Thanks, Kens. You saved my life today."

She tries to deflect. "Well, you've saved mine how many times?"

"Three or four. But whose counting?" He smiles. "At least you found legitimate ways to die. Shootings and explosions. Bad guys. I nearly got taken out by a freaking insect. I did _not_ want to go out like that. What a stupid way to die when I'm in this line of work."

She hasn't said anything, and she knows he realizes that. But she can't. The adrenaline has long worn off, she's hormonal, and she nearly watched her best friend die today. Yeah. Her best friend. She wants to go home and sob. She can allow herself to do that sometimes when she's alone. But not with anyone there. Especially not him. Because he'd want to comfort her, and if she's honest with herself, she wants him to. She wants to let go and succumb to the relief that he's okay, and the fear that she nearly lost him. Could still lose him at any time. She just wants to be human for a little while, and cry on his shoulder, like a normal person.

"Hey, you okay?" he says, wiping away a stray tear she doesn't realize has escaped.

Embarrassment tugs at her, but something else, as well. Realization. The realization of just how much he really means to her. "I almost lost you today."

He nods, still messing with her hair. "Not the first time that's happened."

"First time I was right there when it did, though."

He obviously notices the unsteadiness of her voice, because he moves closer, concern in his azure eyes. He strokes her face, tilting it up so she'll look into them. "I'm still here, Kens."

"You scared me today."

"I know. I'm sorry." He wraps his arms around her, pulling her into a hug.

This is new for both of them, and she's not sure what to do with it. Physical contact is the norm for them. Nudges and casual touches and playful punches. This is different. And intimate. But right now, she's just so relieved he's still here, that she goes with it. She returns the gesture and lets him hold her as she fights back tears.

"I should go home," she whispers.

He shakes his head, still holding her. "I don't want that."

_Neither do I, but I'm scared to death._

"Face it, Kens. We need each other. We depend on each other. It's a fact. We're partners, and we just…we mesh. I'm okay with that. Why can't you be?"

"I…am. I just…"

"Have issues. I know. But I'm not going anywhere, okay?"

She pulls back. "Not okay. You nearly _went somewhere_ today. You nearly _went somewhere_ a few months ago."

"How many times have you nearly died on me?"

"That's not the point."

"Really? Do you honestly think you're the only one here who's afraid of losing someone? You've scared the hell out of me more times than I can count. You've caused me a lifetime of nightmares. You amaze me, and frustrate me, and make me crazy. You complicate the hell out of my life, Kensi. But you know what? I'd have it no other way. None."

She feels the tears slip from her eyes, and feels him wipe them away with the soft pads of his thumbs. Then he leans forward and kisses her forehead, lingering there. She feels his lips spread into a smile.

"What?"

"I wasn't expecting you to smell like…me."

"Well, you don't exactly use the same products in the shower that I do, Deeks."

He stares at her for a moment, just smiling. "Maybe I should. I love the way you smell."

She chews her lip, trying to come up with a smart remark. It doesn't happen.

He stands, saving her. "I'm going to take a shower. Order food while I'm gone. The menu's on the fridge." He leans down and she feels him kiss the top of her head before disappearing into the hallway.

She sits there for a moment, just absorbing everything. She wants to sit right here and wait for him. She wants to run screaming from this whole thing. She wants him to come back and hold her again. She wants to be alone and cry her soul dry.

He's back before she realizes it. "Order the food?"

_Shit_. "I, uh…wasn't sure what you wanted," she lies.

"Sorry. Anything is fine. I'll call, though." He orders for both of them, and somehow she's not surprised that he knows exactly, without being told, what she likes.

They sit quietly in front of the TV until the food comes, then eat in companionable silence. Once they've finished, they watch more mindless shows until he begins to doze, and Kensi falls asleep on his shoulder. Sometime later, she feels herself being tugged at, hears her name from far away. Then she realizes she's been asleep, and he's trying to gently wake her.

"Let's go lie down. We're both falling asleep sitting up."

"It's okay, I can sleep out here."

He shakes his head and pulls her up. "This couch sucks for that. But if you don't want to share a bed, I'll stay out here."

"It's not that…" She has no idea what it is.

"What then?"

She shakes her head. "Nothing. It's nothing."

He takes her hand, and leads her into his bedroom. He pulls back the covers, and she crawls under them, nerves making her stomach flutter. The sheets smell like him, which she now realizes, is her favorite scent in the world.

He slides in beside her, lying face to face, and lets out a deep breath, before brushing the hair from her forehead. "You okay?"

She nods.

"Doesn't seem like it. What's wrong?"

"It's just been a long day."

He smiles, gently touching her face. "For a professional liar, you really suck, you know that, Kens?"

"It just…got to me today, I guess. How close you came to…" She breaks off the sentence.

His brow creases with concern, and he slides just a bit closer, still playing with her hair. "I'm still here," he whispers. "Right here."

It has to be hormones. She doesn't do this frail, weepy thing. She can't possibly feel the way she feels for him right now. It's out of the question. She tries to roll over and turn away, to hide her emotions from him.

He catches her around the waist with one arm, and holds her still. "Uh-uh. Look at me."

Unable to move away from him, she closes her eyes.

"Kens…it's okay. If it's stress, if it's hormones, if it's relief…whatever. It's okay. You're human. Cry if it helps. I won't hold it against you. Yeah, I call you Wonder Woman, but you're _human_. Just…let yourself feel whatever it is you feel. For once. And let me be a part of it."

She opens her eyes and looks into his, and it splits her open inside. She holds onto him and buries her face in his neck and chokes on a sob. She feels his hand on her back, rubbing gently in circles, and it completely undoes her.

"I can't lose you," she whispers between sobs.

He holds her while she cries, never saying a word. When she finally pulls back, he wipes the tears from her face and stares into her eyes. "Just for you, I'll do my best not to die. But we're not in the safest business, Kens, you know that. So no promises. But I'll do my best." He smiles. "And from now on, I'm keeping the hell away from flowers. _That_ I can promise you."

She laughs at that, and he smiles that smile that she loves more than just about anything.

"You okay now?"

She nods. "And I swear, Deeks, if you ever tell anyone about this…"

He shakes his head and looks into her eyes. "Never."

"I've never let anyone see me like this."

"I'm honored." He runs a finger along her cheek. "You're strong. You're invincible. It's one of the hundred things I love about you. Just don't ever let your strength become your weakness, Kens. You don't have to deal with everything alone. Let me in sometimes, okay?"

She looks at him for a moment and nods, fighting an inner battle. Finally, she gives up and reaches to touch his face, her voice a soft whisper. "Just so you know, Partner, bee venom…it's not _my_ only weakness, either."


End file.
